Over the past few years, notebook computers have become progressively thinner and lighter, and battery technology has improved significantly; but, though both thinner and lighter, notebook computers have incorporated ever-more powerful CPUs, larger and higher resolution screens, more memory and higher capacity hard disk drives. Feature-rich models include a number of peripherals such as high-speed CD-ROM drives, DVD drives, fax/modem capability, and a multitude of different plug-in PC cards. Each of these features and improvements creates demand for power from system batteries. Many portable electronics, such as MP3 players and personal digital assistants, now use rotatable data storage devices as well, and by their nature and size place great demands for power on batteries.
Accordingly, there is a continued need to find additional ways to reduce the demand on batteries. Some disk drive manufacturers have employed power savings schemes that save power at the expense of performance. It would be beneficial to further reduce power dissipation in disk drives. It would be beneficial if such power saving features did not affect performance.